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Based on the lessons learnt from previous World Cups, FIFA developed a comprehensive sustainability strategy using the ISO 26000 standard for social responsibility for the first time in the history of its flagship event. The report, which was prepared in accordance with the global reporting standard GRI 3.1, was independently verified by an international expert assurance company and features detailed information on FIFA’s efforts in the key areas of environmental protection, social development and sustainable event management.

“The FIFA World Cup is the biggest single-sport competition in the world and an event of this scale inevitably has an impact on society and the environment in the host country,” said FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke. “As the organisers, we believe it is our responsibility to limit the associated negative effects, while at the same time maximising the huge positive impact it can have. Our first priority, and the basis for any long-term impact, was to make the preparation and staging of the event more sustainable.”

The media event was attended by FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, the Brazilian Sports Ministry’s GECOPA coordinator Luis Fernandes, the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) President and 2014 Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairman José Maria Marin, CBF Vice-President and President-elect Marco Polo Del Nero, LOC CEO Ricardo Trade, FIFA Director of Member Associations and Development Thierry Regenass and CBF Director of Infrastructure Oswaldo Elias Gentille, as well as FIFA’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Federico Addiechi.

“The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil has left us with memories of great football, but also a great responsibility. We took on a commitment with the states that did not host the event to make sure the benefits of the World Cup will reach places where, although the love for football is huge, the structure offered to the community still cannot be compared to that which we see in the bigger cities. We will also focus on youth and women’s football, which need support and investment to grow. Brazilian female players do not lack talent and the Legacy Fund will be essential for further development,” said CBF President Marin.

Key achievements of the strategy presented in the report today include:

· All carbon emissions under the operational control of FIFA and LOC offset.
· 26 community projects in Brazil supported through Football for Hope for a total of USD 1.05 million in 2014 (the funding programme will continue in 2015 and 2016).
· 18.2% of tickets sold to special groups (disabled, elderly and low income) and at a discounted rate to Brazilian residents in accordance with Brazilian regulations for the FIFA World Cup™.
· 445 tonnes of waste recycled in stadiums in collaboration with FIFA Partner Coca-Cola and local cooperatives.
· Further activities with a longer-term focus developed including training on sustainability for stadium operators, health programmes for school children and donations of IT equipment to public schools and community organisations (estimated value of USD 2.25 million).

For football in Brazil, the long-term impact of the FIFA World Cup™ is of unparalleled significance. To aid this long-term impact, FIFA established the USD 100 million 2014 FIFA World Cup Legacy Fund. According to the initial budget, an investment of USD 60 million has been approved for infrastructure projects with a special focus on the 15 states that were not home to the Host Cities, USD 15 million for youth football development, USD 15 million for women’s football, USD 4 million for medical prevention and public health awareness, USD 4 million for social and community awareness projects and USD 2 million for administrative and logistical costs. So far, USD 5.4 million has already been transferred.

While funding, monitoring and control of the Legacy Fund are the responsibility of FIFA, project proposals and implementation are the responsibility of the CBF, based on specific plans submitted to and approved by FIFA. As per the relevant FIFA regulations, all funds provided by FIFA under the project will be subject to an annual central audit by KPMG.

“FIFA is committed to ensuring that the FIFA World Cup leaves a tangible legacy in the host country,” said Valcke. “We are convinced that the World Cup Legacy Fund will be an excellent platform to spread the benefits of the 2014 edition. Several key principles will guide us: the project will be implemented in close collaboration with the CBF, we will share and communicate the results in a transparent manner and the use of the funds will be controlled and audited in accordance with the relevant FIFA development regulations .”